Scottish Executive

Construction Industry

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce a craft vocational route into the school curriculum for 13 and 14-year-olds who wish to enter the construction industry.

Euan Robson: Vocational learning is integral to the Executive’s education strategy - Educating for Excellence  and our Partnership Agreement set out our commitment to enable pupils to acquire vocational skills. Through Determined to Succeed (DtS), our Enterprise in Education strategy, we have allocated funding to local authorities to enable them to increase vocational options to pupils, including in construction. Some schools already offer school pupils in third year and above training in construction skills, principally through collaboration with colleges. The Executive is currently reviewing such collaboration to examine how such vocational opportunities can be best facilitated. The current review of the curriculum three to 18 will consider existing and future vocational provision.

Defence

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government regarding the impact of any proposals to amalgamate Scottish regiments.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including defence.

Education

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average percentage is of the total budget costs of schools, including wages and infrastructure, of which headteachers in state secondary schools have discretion over the allocation.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the most recent figure is for total annual expenditure on state secondary schools, broken down into relevant headings and specifying of which headings headteachers have discretion over the allocation.

Euan Robson: Under Devolved School Management (DSM) arrangements, an education authority passes control of a proportion of a school's budget to the headteacher through a detailed scheme which lays out clear spending requirements. Each local authority operates its own DSM Scheme, in accordance with guidance issued by the Scottish Executive. In 2004-05, councils are budgeting to allocate on average 78.3% of secondary education net expenditure to head teachers.

  The total net secondary education expenditure for 2004-05 is estimated to be £1,581.9 million.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made by the European Commission in completing the review of access rules referred to in Article 19 of Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 and what the latest anticipated timescale is for the completion of this review.

Ross Finnie: The Commission has sought and secured a delay in the production of a report into the effectiveness of access restrictions, which was originally intended to be made available by 31 December 2003. During 2003 and 2004, the Commission secured agreement on the scope of the review, established a scientific expert group to agree its terms of reference and established scientific expert sub-groups to conduct reviews and draft reports for evaluation of each access rule. The Commission’s scientific expert groups first met in April 2004 and the sub-groups are now preparing their reports. No revised timescale for the Article 19 review has been agreed, but the Commission’s final report and corresponding proposals are expected before the end of 2004.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any submissions or representations to Her Majesty’s Government in relation to the review of access rules referred to in Article 19 of Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002.

Ross Finnie: In the course of routine business the Scottish Executive has made numerous written and oral representations to the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) on several aspects of the Article 19 review, concentrating on the implications of the review for the Shetland Box access arrangements. Representations from Scottish Executive have included views on the proper scope and timetabling of the review, the membership and terms of reference for the Commission’s scientific expert groups, and the UK strategy for anticipating and handling proposals arising from the Commission’s report, including effective stakeholder engagement and consultation.

  The Scottish Executive provided DEFRA with detailed submissions on the effectiveness of the Shetland Box during the negotiations leading to the reformed framework regulation of the Common Fisheries Policy. No further submissions have been provided.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any submissions or representations to the European Commission in relation to the review of access rules referred to in Article 19 of Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive have made no direct submissions or representations to the European Commission in relation to the review of access rules referred to in Article 19. The UK Government have, after oral and written representations from the Scottish Executive, submitted written comments on the scope of the Article 19 review, made necessary analytical data available to the Commission and offered active co-operation in the establishment and membership of necessary scientific expert working groups.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in relation to the review of access rules referred to in Article 19 of Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002, it will seek to justify the continued existence of the Shetland Box in terms of conservation and sustainable exploitation objectives.

Ross Finnie: Yes, the Scottish Executive agrees that the Shetland Box access conditions should be strengthened and updated but considers the Shetland Box arrangement to be a vital protection for an important ecosystem – and also believes its continuation is also justified in other terms.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in relation to the review of access rules referred to in Article 19 of Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002, it will seek to justify the continued existence of the principle of relative stability in terms of conservation and sustainable exploitation objectives.

Ross Finnie: No. The principle of relative stability is not being reviewed. Following working group discussions in 2003-04, it was agreed that the Article 19 review shall be limited to include the Shetland Box, the Plaice Box and certain access restrictions in the outermost territories of the Community.

Food Safety

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many farms were not permitted to sell their sheep for human consumption due to the level of radioactive contamination resulting from the Chernobyl incident in 1986 in each of the last five years.

Mr Tom McCabe: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that the following table details the number of farms in the UK not permitted to sell their sheep for human consumption due to the level of contamination resulting from the 1986 Chernobyl incident in each of the last five years, as at 30 April 2004.

  

 
Scotland 
Wales 
England 
Northern Ireland 


2000 
18 
359 
9 
0 


2001 
18 
359 
9 
0 


2002 
18 
359 
9 
0 


2003 
16 
359 
9 
0 


2004 
14 
359 
9 
0

Food Safety

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many farms are not allowed to sell their sheep for human consumption due to the level of radioactive contamination resulting from the Chernobyl incident in 1986.

Mr Tom McCabe: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that although no farms are not allowed to sell their sheep for human consumption, as at 30 April 2004, 14 farms in Scotland remain under movement restrictions imposed after the Chernobyl incident in 1986. Sheep from these farms must be monitored for radioactivity prior to being moved off farm. A further nine farms are restricted in West Cumbria and 359 farms in North Wales.

Public Sector Pay

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms are in place to ensure that public employers directly accountable to it meet their obligations with respect to equal pay.

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that the current pay structures of public bodies for which it is responsible are free from gender inequality.

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that public sector pay is free from gender inequality.

Mr Andy Kerr: The public sector is made up of independent - or at arm’s length - corporate bodies which determine their own pay and grading structures. Ministers are ultimately responsible for approving the pay structures of non departmental public bodies (NDPBs) but have no specific power to intervene in relation to local authority (LA) staffing matters.

  However, the Scottish Executive plays a key role in promoting good employment practices in both the public and private sector, particularly in relation to equal pay. It leads by example, as detailed in my response to question S2W-9693 answered on 28 July 2004, and is a partner (together with the Equal Opportunities Commission Scotland, the Scottish Trade Union Congress and others) in the Close the Gap campaign, which aims to raise awareness about the pay gap between women and men in Scotland and encourage activity to reduce it. This includes encouraging employers to carry out equal pay audits or reviews. More specifically, all Scottish pay bodies, who submit pay remits for ministerial approval (i.e. the Scottish Executive, executive agencies and executive NDPBs), were requested to conduct an equal pay review by April 2003 with an update on progress by June 2004.

  The Executive has also introduced a statutory duty of best value to LAs and the wider public sector (including the Executive and its agencies, all executive NDPBs with an accountable officer and a range of NHSScotland bodies). This requires these bodies to demonstrate that measures are in place to encourage observance of equal opportunities’ requirements, including those relating to the Equal Pay Act 1970, which is the legislation which implemented the provisions of the Equal Pay Directive in GB. The Accounts Commission for Scotland will audit Best Value in Local Government.

Renewable Energy

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will develop a new national strategic framework for wind farm applications, as recommended in the Enterprise and Culture Committee’s 6th Report 2004 (Session 2), Renewable Energy in Scotland .

Lewis Macdonald: We will respond to the committee’s report in due course.

Renewable Energy

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when the consent process for the proposed Farr wind farm development will be concluded.

Lewis Macdonald: My department is still discussing with the applicant possible measures to avoid, mitigate or compensate for possible adverse impacts on the local environment and on the ecology of the area arising from the development. No decision will be made until these matters are satisfactorily resolved.

Renewable Energy

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any outstanding requirements that may be delaying the consent process for the Farr wind farm development.

Lewis Macdonald: My department is still discussing with the applicant possible measures to avoid, mitigate or compensate for possible adverse impacts on the local environment and on the ecology of the area arising from the development.

Roads

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will fund the costs of the repair and maintenance of the Clyde Tunnel.

Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-9457 on 20 July 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at   http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Roads

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to improve the Roadhead Roundabout on the A737 near Lochwinnoch and what timescale is involved.

Nicol Stephen: A scheme to provide a new roundabout at Roadhead on the A737 is included in the trunk road minor schemes programme. The design is being progressed and, subject to the satisfactory completion of the statutory procedures, including land acquisition, tenders will be sought in 2004-05 to allow the scheme to proceed to construction in financial year 2005-06.

Sport

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many amateur sports clubs have registered with the Inland Revenue as community amateur sports clubs, thereby gaining various tax benefits, and what plans it has to persuade more clubs to so register.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is not held by the Scottish Executive. A list of registered community amateur sports clubs (CASCs) throughout the UK can, however, be found on the Inland Revenue website. The following link http://www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/casc/registered-clubs.pdf provides access to the relevant page of the Inland Revenue website.

  In August 2002, following an announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer about a new tax relief package to support CASCs, sportscotland wrote to sports clubs across Scotland to make them aware of this package of tax reliefs. And on 4 May 2004, the Scottish Sports Association in conjunction with sportscotland wrote to the Scottish Association of Local Sports Councils, Sports Governing Bodies and Local Sports Councils providing information on the voluntary agreement the Scottish Executive has reached with local authorities regarding the provision of rate relief for registered CASCs. The recipients were asked to disseminate this letter, which also contained updated information about the tax benefits to be gained from CASC status and how to obtain CASC status to all member clubs and councils.

Transport

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what conditions will be placed on the new ScotRail franchise regarding charges for the carriage of bicycles.

Nicol Stephen: The operator of the new ScotRail franchise will be required to carry bicycles free of charge.

Transport

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when revised guidance on the Integrated Transport Fund will be published.

Nicol Stephen: There is no immediate intention to publish guidance on the Integrated Transport Fund (ITF), since substantial resources have already been allocated to delivering our partnership commitments such as Edinburgh trams, the redevelopment of Waverley rail station and re-opening the Stirling to Alloa to Kincardine rail line. However, additional resources may be identified in the future, and the provision of guidance will be considered at that time.

  Executive officials are always available to discuss at an early stage proposals from local authorities and others for public transport projects. Officials can provide an initial view on what detailed information might be required and the likelihood of funding being made available, whether from the ITF or some other funding stream.

Transport

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the guidelines for the Integrated Transport Fund will allow major cycle infrastructure projects to be financed through the fund.

Nicol Stephen: There are no current plans to issue guidance for the Integrated Transport Fund. However, Executive officials are always available to discuss at an early stage proposals from local authorities and others for transport projects, which might include cycle infrastructure projects. Officials can provide an initial view on what detailed information might be required and the likelihood of funding being made available.

Transport

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities it has been informed are preparing to submit Integrated Transport Fund bids for major cycling infrastructure projects.

Nicol Stephen: We are not aware of any local authorities preparing to submit Integrated Transport Fund (ITF) bids for such projects. Since substantial resources from the ITF are already committed to the delivery of our partnership commitments, we would not encourage local authorities to work up detailed proposals for any transport project until these have been first discussed with their usual contacts in the Executive.

Whisky

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to HM Treasury on the impact of the introduction of whisky strip stamps on the Scottish economy.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including whisky tax stamps.